Work the WRTC

Teilnehmer

Team Europe - EU #1_3

Team Leader:

Kim Östman, OH6KZP

Other callsigns:

n/a

Country:

Finland

Age (WRTC 2018):

40

Previous WRTC experience:

Competitor: 2014

Occupation:

RF design engineer

I'm originally from the bilingual upper west coast of Finland, prior to having slid down towards the south coast in pursuit of education and jobs. Currently I live in Turku and work with Nordic Semiconductor as an RF IC designer. I also earned a Ph.D. in the humanities before deciding that engineering really is my thing after all.
I've been a ham radio operator since 1994, and contesting has always been an important part of the hobby for me. I took my first forays into more serious operating in the late 1990s before a long QRT period. The flame was lit again in 2006 and it's been a lot of fun and a great privilege to guest operate a number of stations since. In addition to recent operating as OH0X, my most interesting visits have been to the Azorean superstation CR2X. From there I hold the current CQWW and CQWPX European SOAB HP records on both CW and SSB.
This will be my second WRTC, and I'm excited about meeting many familiar people face-to-face and enjoying the spirit of the games. Naturally we're also hoping to do well in the contest!

Team Mate:

Pasi Luoma-aho, OH6UM

Other callsigns:

OH2IW

Country:

Finland

Age (WRTC 2018):

58

Previous WRTC experience:

Competitor: 1996, 2006, 2010Organizing Committee: 2002

Occupation:

ICT Consultant

Ham radio has always been part of my life. My father (OH6UG SK) was a radio/TV technician and a keen ham who liked also HF/VHF mobile operating. Wherever we went, ham radio operating was part of it.
Although I was surrounded by all kinds of radio stuff since I was born, I loved playing Finnish baseball. But it all changed when I met my age-mate Veijo OH6KN. We started competing in Morse code speed - and I finally got hooked.
I started my ham career as SWL OH6-111, got my licence OH6UM in 1974, and since that practically lived on bands and in contests for several years.
I got my other callsign OH2IW when I moved from Western Finland to Helsinki area for further studies and work. I graduated as M.Sc.(Computer Science) in 1986 and have worked within software business since 1980.
During my 44+ years of contesting I've gladly had opportunities to operate both single-op and multi-op from several great stations.
Some highlights: MM World wins @EA8ZS, MM EU wins @OH2U,@ES9C, SOSB EU wins @OH2BH,@OH8X, SOAB/SOSB Scandinavian wins @OH2BH,@OH0BH,@OH8X
This will be my fifth WRTC. I have had the honour to join WRTC earlier 3 times as a competitor (1996,2006,2010) and in 2002 (Finland) as the Competition Co-Chairman. It will be great to meet all the old and new contest minded friends in Germany after 8 years!